Fire-escape



(No Model.)

P, KOGOSGHEK.

FIRE ESCAPE.

IIVVE/VTOH 5 y Afforneys Patented Aug. 25

lo". D. c.

llnrrnn STATES FRANZ KOG ()SCHE K, t) F PATENT OFFICE.

HOBOKEN, NE\V JERSEY.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,180, dated August 25,1885.

(X0 model.)

To all whom it may comern Be it known that I, FRANZ KOGOSCHEK, 0t Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tire-escape ol'that class which is located on the root'of the building and lowered down in front of the same when required for use; and theinvention con 1 sists of a fireescape ladder which is made of two chains formed of hinged links and with rounds attached to the links. The ladder is wound up on a reel supported on the roof of the building, the head of the reel being pro- 1 titled with a friction-brake that is released by a chain for conveniently lowering the same. The ladder is supported at the required dis tance from the wall by hinged brackets ha ving fork-shaped ends, that en gage the rounds and chains of the ladder, so as to support the same when it is lowered. The brackets are connected by chains, the chain of the uppermost bracket passing over a pulley, and then down to a suitable key-box.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved fire-escape, shown as lowered. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical transverse sections, showing the fire-escape respectively in raised and lowered positions. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are details showing the bracket for supporting the fire'escapc when lowered.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents a fire-escape ladder, which is made of two chains, a a, formed ofa series of hinged links, a a, and transverse rounds, a the ends of which form the pintles of the links a. The links a a of the ladder A are formed of strap-iron with overlapping ends, which are riveted to the body of the links. The links are provided with sleeves and pintles for connecting the same.

The ladder A is made of sufficient width to permit the convenient ascending and descending of persons, and of such a length that it extends from the roof to the ground' The upper ends of the flexible chains of the ladder A are attached to a drum or reel, B, that is supported in brackets B, attached securely to the root of the building, back of and above l the cornice. One of the heads of the reel B is provided with a friction-brake, (l, which is connected by a chain, c, to a key-box, 0 near the ground, so that by opening the key-box and pulling the chain 0 the frictionbrake is released from the head of the reel B. The ladder Ais wound up on the reel B when not required for use, the lower ends of the same being provided with hooks b I), and with weights, 1) 1/, above the same, which latter cause the lowering of the ladder and the turning ot'the reel as soon as the friction-brake U is released by the chain (3. \Vhen the weights arrive at the ground, the hooks b b are applied to rings or eyes Z) If, that are countersunk into the pavement and protected against dirt, ice, and snow by covers, I).

For attaching the hooks b I) to the rings L b the covers are detached. The ladder is then drawn taut by a stretching device, D, which consists of levers d (I, that are pivoted i to adjoining links of the side chains of the ladder, while the outer ends are connected by retaining-chains d d with hooks of the weights 0, as shown in Fig. 3. By moving the levers d d in downward direction and locking the same by the chains d d the slack is taken out of the ladder and the same stretched taut in front of the wall. At the point where the ladder Apasses over'the cornice suitable anti-friction rollers, c e, are arranged.

For supporting the ladder A at the proper distance from the wall and preventing the lateral motion of the same it is engaged by brackets E E, which are hinged to lugs e of the wall at suitable distances from each other, said brackets E E being provided with atransverse front bar, f, and with fork-shaped front ends,ff, that engage the side chains of the ladder and the rounds of the same, one end of the forks being bent downward for this purpose, as shown clearly at f in Figs. 4 and 5. The brackets E E are connected with each other by chains or rods g g, the uppermost bracket having a chain, g, that is passed over a pulley, g", and down to the key-box C By releasing the chain 9 the brackets E E are lowered so as to engage the side chains, a a, and rounds a? of the ladder A and hold the same rigidly in position. The brackets E E are made of a height corresponding to the dis- IOO ' stretched taut.

tance of the ladder from the wall, and of such a width that a person can readily descend within the same, so that the arms of the brackets serve as guards in descending.

When the fire-escape is to be used, the keybox is opened, the friction-brake released, the ladder lowered, secured to the ground, and

The brackets are then low ered so as to engage the ladder, upon which the same is ready for use. When the danger is over, the ladder is wound up again on the reel and the brackets lifted up against the wall, so as to be out of the way.

The ladder and its reel are preferably in-' l composed of flexible side chains and transverse rounds, a reel located at the roof of the buildi n g, a friction-brake applied to the reel, a chain for releasing the brake, hooks for fastening the lower end of the ladder to the ground, stretching-levers fulerumed to the lower links of the ladder, and retainingchains for hitching said stretchingchains, substantially as set forth. 7

2. The combination of a fire-escape ladder composed of flexible side chains and transverse rounds, a reel located at the roof of the building for winding up the ladder, a frictionbrake applied to the reel, a chain for releasing the brake, a device, substantially as described, for fastening the lower end of the ladder to the ground, and brackets that are hinged to the wall, and adapted to engage the ladder and hold it at a distance from the wall, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a fireescape ladder formed of flexible chains and transverse rounds, a reel supported at the roof of the building for winding up the same, a frictionbrake applied to the reel, a chain for releasing the friction'brake, devices attaching the lower end of the ladder to the ground, brackets hinged to the wall and provided with forked front ends, chains connecting the brackets, and a chain attached to the uppermost bracket and passing over a pulley for raising or low- .ering the brackets, substantially as set forth.

4. In fire-escapes, a U-shaped bracket hinged to the wall, and provided with forked front ends, having a downwardly-bent hook for looking to the rounds and chains of the fire-escape ladder, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ KOGOSCHEK.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, CARL KARP. 

